Hard disc drives (HDD) and hard disc drive systems typically include one or more data storage discs and a magnetic transducing head carried by a slider to read from and write to a data track on a disc. The transducing head and slider are part of a head gimbal assembly (HGA).
Prior to attaching the HGA into the hard disc drive, it is desirable to dynamically test the functionality of the read and write transducers so that defective HGAs may be identified. Such testing can include preliminary activities to align, configure, and prepare the HGA for testing, followed by the actual electrical test of the HGA. Because HGAs are typically small, fragile and contain sensitive electronic components, they are susceptible to mechanical stress, electro-static discharge, environmental contamination, and other handling-related issues.
Various fixtures for mounting the HGA for testing are known.